How To Protect Fibreglass Arches?

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Started to prepare my Arches for paint yesturday and started to inspect the damage from only 2000miles and 6months use, they were only rattle can'd albeit by a bodyshop firend in his oven (and he did a bloody good job!)

 

However this times round they are getting sprayed properly and I was wondering what extra I can do to protect them from stone chips, and before you say it mudflaps are not an option!

 

Can I use stone chip on the bottom half, or some sort of super hard wearing laquer?

 

 

Alpine white is actually quite creamy in colour so I imagine white stone chip would stand out horribly.

 

Cheers, Ali

Edited December 28, 2010 by allye

[welshpug 1,657]

Some nice thick Vinyl?

 

Maybe Carbon effect for the tart in you? the leading edge of many sideskirt and arch trim is protected with some thick vinyl.

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Some nice thick Vinyl?

 

Maybe Carbon effect for the tart in you? the leading edge of many sideskirt and arch trim is protected with some thick vinyl.

 

Not a bad idea, I'm sure Jonnygoodhand could print me some sheets of thick vinyl with a decent colour match too.

[sam jfm 0]

You can ge helicopter tape, i think they put it on the blades or somthing- i used it on mountain bike frames to stop cables rubbing. (its clear BTW)

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

Proper Leading Edge Tape (Helicopter Tape) is pretty darn expensive. Screwfix used to sell an alternative called all weather tape that I used to use on race cars, unfortunately I haven't been able to get any for a while now. If you find any (50mm x 50m rolls) give us a shout as I could do with more than 2 rolls for an entire season.

 

Another option is that venture shield stuff.

[sam jfm 0]

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=helicop...6.c0.m270.l1311 Not that bad really - might not be used on real helicopters but what the hey!

[harryskid 193]

Demon Tweeks sell protective plastic sheets for this and comes in different colours. Price starts at £22

[allye 530 3 Cars]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Helicopter-Bike-Fram...=item3a539c1fac

 

x2 of those should do the job, might also get a roll for lip of the arches.

 

Thanks for the information, quick useful replies as always!

[swordfish210 20]

Probably won't be a colour match but i have seen white hockey tape which is pretty tough stuff, after all it's desinged to protect the stick when a puck is twatting off of it.

[MerlinGTI 3]

Super hard laquer sir? Would one like it to be self healing also? No problem sir!

 

Mercedes use a ceramic based laquer. Most bodyshops carry it. Super bloody pricey though. Cool feature is it de-swirls its self and fills its own minor inperfections when heated (oven/hot day)

 

I would go for this + tape stuff if waging war on stone chips

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

Armourfend is made for exactly this reason http://www.armourfend.co.uk/

[allye 530 3 Cars]

I would go for this + tape stuff if waging war on stone chips

 

Yes, yes I am! I want it to last this time round.

 

'You can even fire a .22 air pistol at it and never leave a mark!'

 

That amrourfend sounds like good stuff, will ask my paintshop mate about it and will give a tidier finish than roles of tape, depends as price though.....as usual